When Perfect

Description

If you sell 'seconds' or goods that are not in perfect condition, you can
make a virtue of this by showing the 'perfect' price next to the actual price.

The text you use here can be other variations of the basic message that the
goods are imperfect, for example 'Slight seconds', 'Normally' and so on.

Example

A china shop sells goods with what it calls 'Slight
imperfections', marking the 'Perfect price' with a line through it after a price
marked 'For you'.

A second hand car dealer shows the 'new car price' next to
the actual price. They also show a quality report detailing known wear, etc.

Discussion

Buying something that is not perfect may seem unattractive, but if the
imperfection is slight and the price is significantly reduced, then the
perceived trade-off may seem a real bargain. For example a slight blemish in a
china glaze that reduces the price by 25% can seem worthwhile, especially if it
is difficult to see and the china is largely functional (such as a cup or
plate).

A similar principle applies in second-hand sales, where the new price
provides a comparison and the purchaser knows that they are getting a product
that is less in some way than the new one. Sales people know this too and use
the 'new price' as a means of showing how the second-hand price is a significant
bargain.